Minimalist IAS
CSAT 2022 paper

UPSC CSE CSAT 2022 · Question 43 · Reading comprehension

Which of the following would invariably happen in a country, when the demographic dividend has…

Passage—2

The demographic dividend, which has begun in India and is expected to last another few decades, is a great window of opportunity. The demographic dividend is basically a swelling in the working age population, which conversely means that the relative ratio of very young and very old will, for a while, be on the decline. From the experience of Ireland and China, we know that this can be a source of energy and an engine of economic growth. The demographic dividend tends to raise a nation’s savings rate since in any nation, it is the working age population that is the main saver. And since the savings rate is an important driver of growth, this should help elevate our growth rate. However, the benefits of demographic dividend depend on the quality of the working age population. And this implies bringing back the importance of education, acquisition of skills and human capital.

CSAT 2022 · Q43

Reading comprehension Easy

Which of the following would invariably happen in a country, when the demographic dividend has begun to operate?

  1. 1.The number of illiterate people will decrease.
  2. 2.The ratio of very old and very young will decrease for a while.
  3. 3.Population growth rate will quickly stabilize.

Select the correct answer using the code given below.

Answer & explanation

Answer: (b) 2 only

By the passage’s own definition, the demographic dividend means “the relative ratio of very young and very old will, for a while, be on the decline”. Rising literacy and a stable population growth rate are not stated as automatic results.

  • ✗ 1. The passage says the benefits depend on the quality of the workforce and calls for “bringing back the importance of education” — literacy does not rise automatically.
  • ✓ 2. This is the definition itself: the ratio of very young and very old will “for a while, be on the decline”.
  • ✗ 3. Stabilisation of the population growth rate is not mentioned at all.

Remember · ‘Invariably’ admits only what follows by definition; benefits the passage makes conditional are out.

Question and answer: UPSC's official GS Paper II (2022, Series A) — paper ↗ · answer key ↗. Explanation: Minimalist IAS, checked 30 Sept 2026 (how we verify). ·

More on Reading comprehension

All Reading comprehension questions →